Toy



March 21, 1944. p, gossw AL 2,344,607

7 TOY Filed Oct. 4, 1943 Jflfln fans: Paul F d'ossurez'n and Emaf (I d'ossu/ez'n Jdtomya Patented Mar. 21, 1944 TOY Paul F. Gosswein and Ernst C. Gosswein, Chicago, 111.

Application October 4, 1943, Serial No. 504,858

Claims. (01. 272-52) This invention relates to toys or playthings and, more particularly, to a childs plaything in the form of a rocking horse.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved rocking horse toy or plaything having greater structural strength and resistance to bending and possessing a greater safety factor than similar rocking horse toys heretofore made.

Rocking horse toys have been made heretofore ofv both metal and laminated wood or so-called wood veneer. However, one of the difliculties experienced with such toys made of metal has resided in the fact that prolonged use thereof and incidental bending causes the metal in the resilient member or spring embodied in the toy to crystallize and eventually break or become unsafe.

Likewise, one of the principal difficulties heretofore experienced in the use of rocking horse toys embodying a resilient member or spring made of laminated wood or so-called wood veneer has resided in the fact that repeated use of rocking horse toys so constructed and repeated rocking thereon by a child has tended to cause the laminations or wooden strips in the spring or resilient member to tend to stretch and separate, with resulting loss of structural strength and safety factors.

Another difficulty heretofore experienced in the use of rocking horse toys embodying a resilient member or spring made of laminated wood has resided in the fact that such springs as heretofore constructed have lacked adequate strength and a sufficient safety factor to withstand prolonged use especially by older and. heavier children.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved rocking horse toy embodying a laminated wood spring which is so constructed and arranged that the laminations or wooden plies embodied therein will not spread apart even after prolonged use.

Another object of the invention is to construct the new rocking horse toy in such a manner that the laminated wooden spring or resilient member embodied therein possesses greater structural strength and resistance to breaking than has been possessed by the resilient members or springs of rocking horse toys heretofore made.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing which, by way of illustration, shows preferred embodiments and the principles thereof and what we now con sider to be the best mode in which we havec'on templated applying those principles. Other em bodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from 'the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a rocking horse toy embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the rocking horse toy shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front end elevational view of the rocking horse toy shown in Figs. 1 and 2; v

Fig. 4 is a view on line 4.4 in Fig. 1-, partly in section and partly in elevation;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, on line 5-5 in Fig. 2, showing'a preferred construction of the lower front end portions of the upper and lower parts of the laminated wooden members which form the spring embodied in th new rocking horse toy; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view on a reduced scale illustrating a modification of the invention which is especially adapted for use by very young children. a i

A preferred embodiment of the new rocking horse toy is shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, of

the drawing, wherein it is generally indicated at I0, and comprises a pair of spaced transversely and horizontally extending front and rear supporting pedestals or feet 20 and 2|, which may be of any suitable design and shape. Theresilient member or spring embodied in the new rock; ing horse toy comprises a runner I2 which extends between the front and rear supporting pedestals 20 and 2!, respectively, and is secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by means of countersunk screws. As best shown in Fig. 1 the bottom runner or member I! embodies an upwardly curved strengthening arch 14 which merges at its front end into the lower front end portion l3 of the bottom spring element l2;

The resilient member or spring embodied in the new rocking horse toy also includes an upper spring element l I having a lower front end portion 21 which extends substantially parallel to and in contacting engagement with the upper surface of the lower front end portion l3 of the bottom runner I2, the lower front end portions [3 and 21 of the spring elements H and [2 being secured together rearwardly ofthe front supporting pedestal 20 by any suitable fastening elements such as countersunk screws I9. As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the middle and rear portions of the upper spring element II extend upwardly in spaced relationship with or relative to the lower spring element I2.

A childs seat I! is attached to the upper end portion I5 of the upper spring element Ill and a suitable design or decorative member, such as I6, may be mounted upon the upper end portion I5 of the upper spring element II, adjacent the seat IT, and this design or decorative member I6 may be provided with a pair of handle elements 22 projecting laterally therefrom and where a child using the toy may grasp when upon the seat I1.

Likewise, a suitable foot rest as I 8- may be mounted upon and adjacent to the midportion of the upper spring element I I at. a suitable height relative to the handles 22 to accommodate the average child of the particular age group for Whichthe new toy may bedesigned and intended and the new toy may be made. in various sizes and for children of different age groups, if desired;

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 5 that the upper and lower spring elements II and I2, respectively, are-composed of laminated wood or veneer strips which are suitably glued and pressed together so as to form a structurally strong spring or resilient member. Thus the upper spring element I I comprises a plurality of wood: strips or plies 24, which are preferably made of oak or other suitable hard wood, pressed and glued together; and top. and bottom strips 28 and 29 of suitable hard wood, such: as. birch, are pressed and glued to the: top and bottom laminated strips or-plies 24.

Similarly; the bottom spring element I2. comprises a plurality of laminated wood or veneer strips 26 such as strips of oak pressed and glued together by means of a suitable adhesive, and these laminated strips 26 are enclosed between top and bottom strips of birch or other suitable hard wood 30 pressed and glued thereto (Fig. 5').

It will thus be seen that in the use of the form of the new rocking horse toy shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the weight of a child disposed upon the seat I'I acts, through the lower front end portion 2-! of the upper spring element II to force the said lower front end portion 2! of the upper spring element I I downwardly upon the slightly upwardly extending lower front end portion I3 of the bottom spring element I2. Hence, it will be seen that as the upper end portion I5 of the upper spring element II and the seat I! thereon are depressed, by the rocking motion of a child disposed upon the seat H, the lower front end portion. 21 of the upper spring element I I tends to flatten out the upwardly curved strengthening arch I4 of the bottom spring element I2 and this flattening action upon the strengthening arch I4 effectively absorbs a substantial part of the downward force exerted by the weight and. rocking motion of the child upon the seat ll of the upper spring element II. Hence it will be seen that the strain upon the laminations apes-2a and -430 of the lower front end portions of the upper and lower spring elements I! and I2, respectively, is materially reduced and any tendency, to separate which these laminations would otherwise exhibit, particularly after prolonged use, is eliminated.

It will also be observed that the arrangement of the lower front end portion 21 of the upper spring element II in parallel and contacting engagement with the upper surface of the lower front end portion I3 of the bottom spring element I2, and the relationship of these parts to the strengthening arch I4 in the lower spring element I2, renders the new rocking horse toy relatively strong structurally and enables the upper spring element II to be flexed or bent repeatedly downwardly without danger of breaking or disconnecting the upper and lower spring elements II and I2 at their point of connection- I9 or elsewhere.

Fig. 6 of the drawing illustrates a modification of the invention which is especially adapted for use by very young children who might be too timid or afraid to play upon the form of the new toy shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive. Those parts in 'the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 which are similar to coresponding or analogous parts in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, have been given the same reference numerals followed by the distinguishing reference character or letter a.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 differs from that shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, in that the strengthening arch is omitted from the bottom spring member of runner IZa since this form of the invention is intended for use by very small and young children whose weight is not suflicient to require the use of the strengthening arch in the bottom spring member, as is embodied in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive.

The modification shown in Fig. 6- also difiers form that show in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, in that, being intended for use by smaller and younger children, the upwardly extending and seat-supporting portion I-5a is arranged closer to the rear portion of the bottomrunner IZa than isthe case of the corresponding parts in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, and the foot rest I8a is arranged upon the bottom runner or spring member lZa, rather than upon the upper spring member Ila. This is for the reason that the very young and small children for whom the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 is especially intended might be too timid or afraid to place their feet upon the foot rest if and when the latter is mounted upon the upper spring member and such very small and young children will feel more secure in using the form of the new toy shown in Fig. 6 and in the use of which their feet are placed upo the foot rest IBa carried by the bottom runner or spring member IZa.

While we prefer to make the upper and lower spring members I! and I2 and Ila and I20. of laminated plywood strips glued together since such material is relatively inexpensive and possesses the desired strength and resiliency and other qualities which render it suitable for this purpose, nevertheless, if desired the top and bottom spring members and other parts of the new toy may be made of other materials including suitable metals and plastic or other synthetic materials in either laminated or solid form.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a new and improved rocking horse toy which has the desirable advantages and characteristics and accomplishes its intended objects including those hereinbefore specifically pointed out and others which are inherent in the invention.

We claim:

1. A rocking horse toy comprising spaced front and rear supporting pedestals, a lower resilient spring element extending between and fastened to said supporting pedestals, an upper resilient spring element having a lower front end portion secured to said front supporting pedestal and having middle and rear portions extending upwardly in spaced relationship with said lower resilient spring element and the said rear portion of said upper resilient spring element being provided with a seat for a child, said upper and lower resilient spring elements each being composed of a plurality of wooden plies adhesively laminated together and having lower front end portions secured together rearwardly of said front supporting pedestal and disposed in substantially parallel relationship with and in contacting engagement with each other.

2. A rocking horse toy comprising spaced front and rear supporting pedestals, a lower resilient spring element extending between and fastened to said supporting pedestals, an upper resilient spring element having a lower front end portion secured to said front supporting pedestal and having middle and rear portions extending upwardly in spaced relationship with said lower resilient spring element and the said rear portion of said upper resilient spring element being provided with a seat for a child, said upper and lower resilient spring elements having lower front end portions secured together rearwardly of said front supporting pedestal and disposed in substantially parallel relationship with and in contacting engagement with each other, said lower spring element including an upwardly curved strengthening arch having a front end portion merging into the said lower front end portion of said lower spring element.

3. A rocking horse toy comprising spaced front and rear supporting pedestals, a lower resilient spring element extending between and fastened to said supporting pedestals, an upper resilient spring element having a lower front end portion secured to said front supporting pedestal and having middle and rear portions extending upwardly in spaced relationship with said lower resilient spring element and the said rear portion of said upper resilient spring element being provided with a seat for a child, said upper and lower resilient spring elements having lower front end portions secured together rearwardly of said front supporting pedestal and disposed in substantially parallel relationship with and in contacting engagement with each other, said lower spring element including an upwardly curved strengthening arch having a front end portion merging into the said lower end portion of said lower spring element, and the said strengthening arch being located in the front half of the said lower spring element relative to the midpoint between the said front and rear supporting pedestals.

4. A rocking horse toy comprising spaced front and rear supporting pedestals, a lower resilient spring element extending between and fastened to said supporting pedestals, an upper resilient spring element having a lower front end portion secured to said front supporting pedestal and having middle and rear portions extending upwardly in spaced relationship with said lower resilient spring element and the said rear portion of said upper resilient spring element being provided with a seat for a child, said upper and lower resilient spring elements having lower front end portions secured together rearwardly of said front supporting pedestal and disposed in substantially parallel relationship with and in contacting engagement with each other, said lower spring element including an upwardly curved strengthening arch having a front end portion merging into the said lower front end portion of said lower spring element, and said upper and lower spring elements each comprising a plurality of wooden strips adhesively secured together.

5. A rocking horse toy comprising spaced front and rear supporting pedestals, a lower resilient spring element extending between and fastened to said supporting pedestals, an upper resilient spring element having a lower front end portion secured to said front supporting pedestal and having middle and rear portions extending upwardly in spaced relationship with said lower resilient spring element and the said rear portion of said upper resilient spring element being provided with a seat for a child, said upper and lower resilient spring elements each being comprised of a plurality of wooden strips adhesively secured together, and said upper and lower spring elements having slightly upwardly extending lower front end portions secured together rearwardly of the said front supporting pedestal and disposed in substantially parallel relationship with and in contacting engagement with each other, and said lower resilient spring element having an upwardly curved strengthening arch therein formed as an integral rearward continuation and extension of the said slightly upwardly extending front end portion of said lower spring element.

PAUL F. GOSSWEIN. ERNST C. GOSSWEIN. 

